Lubricant composition

ABSTRACT

A lubricant for polyolefin carpet backing containing a copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol or monoether, a hindered phenol stabilizer, a coupling agent, a bulk wetting agent and, optionally, a corrosion inhibitor suitable for use in carpets having a polyolefin backing. The lubricant composition of this invention prevents degradation of the carpet backing while at the same time, affording good lubricity during the carpet manufacturing process.

United States Patent 1 Nov. 11, 1975 Park [ LUBRICANT COMPOSITION 165mm 4/1972 neat-r Cl 252m 6 r r I 167L433 WW7: Brennerv 252/491 l75l lmcnmr Klsoon Park VJ 3.832.328 8/l974 Eggensperger ct alv Iii/48.6 {73] Assignce: Union Carbide Corporation, New

York N Y PI'iI/Itll') l;.\'(m1inw-Delhcrt E. Gantz AblY/A'IIUN E.\'umm('rl4 Vaughn [zzl Sept I974 Artur-n01 Agent or Firm-Fi Ml Fazio [Zl] Appl. No: 503,686

[57) ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 252/48 6; 252/89; 352/496; A lubricant for polyolefin carpet hacking containing a 252/52 R; 353/52 A copoly(oxyethyleneoxypropylenel glycol or mono- [5 [1 Int. Cl. ..Cl0M 1/38; ClOM 3/32; ether. a hindered phenol stabilizer, a coupling agent. a CIOM 5/28; ClUM 7/36 hulk Wetting agent and. optionally a corrosion inhibi [58] Field of Searchmm 252/486, 49.6 52 R. 52 A, tor suitable for use in carpets having a polyolefin 252/89 hacking. The lubricant composition of this invention prevents degradation of the carpet hacking while at {56] References Cit d the same time. affording good luhricit during the car- UNITED STATES PATENTS pet manufacturing process 1629.310 l2/l97l Bailey et al. 352/49 (1 ll Claims. N0 Drawings 1 LUBRICANT COMPOSITION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION or ribbons and to reduce wear on the tufting needles. m

The lubricant also prevents excessive heat build up on the needles which can cause fusion of the fiber polymer. The water soluble copoly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene) derivatives have been found effective for this use since they do not readily penetrate into the polyolefin as do lubricants such as mineral oil or the fatty acids or esters thereof. The advantages of the copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) derivatives are their exceptionally good tufting lubricity and their water solubility since it is preferred to apply the lubricant to the backing from an aqueous bath. However, one of the great disadvantages of the use of these materials has been their tendency to degrade the strength properties of the polyolefin backing during heat aging of the carpet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention pertains to a lubricant composition for polyolefin carpet backings, such as polypropylene, having desirable thermal stability and lubricity that does not cause degradation of the polyolefin backing. This lubricant composition contains a major amount of a random or block copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol or monoether and minor amounts of a hindered phenol stabilizer, a coupling agent, a wetting agent and, optionally, a corrosion inhibitor, as hereinafter defined.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the production of carpets, whether with synthetic or natural fibers, a carpet backing is employed which can be either woven, spun bonded or needle punched. During the manufacture process heat build up can become a problem and it is therefore necessary to use some form of lubrication to minimize the problem. This invention pertains to a specifically defined lubricant composition suitable for use in carpet manufacturing process in which the carpet backing is a polyolefin material, such as, polypropylene or blends thereof with other polyolefins or copolymers of polypropylene. The polypropylenes find particular favor in the industry because of the desirable properties of fibers, films, ribbons, etc., thereof. These materials are all well known in the art and those skilled in the manufacture of carpets are fully familiar with the wide variety of polypropylene carpet backings that can be used. The lubricant compositions of this invention can be used in any carpet manufacturing process employing any of the suitable polypropylene carpet backings. In this application, the term polypropylene carpet backing is intended to mean those backings containing polypropylene alone, blends thereof or copolymers thereof.

When using the lubricant compositions of this invention they are employed in the conventional manner by applying them to the backing using any of the known procedures. The manner in which the lubricant is applied to the backing is of no critical importance.

The block or random copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol or monoether thereof which makes up a 2 major amount of the lubricant composition is represented by the structural formula wherein R' is hydrogen or alkyl of from l to 12 carbon atoms, preferably 2 to 8 carbon atoms; q and r are integers, such that q comprises from 25 to 75 weight percent, preferably 35 to 65 weight percent, of the sum of q and r, and wherein said glycol or monoether has a number average molecular weight of from 500 to 30,000, preferably from 1000 to 5000. The concentration of this component in the lubricant composition should be above about 60 weight percent. An amount of from about 60 to 98 weight percent can be used, preferably from about 60 to about 94 weight percent and most preferably, from about to 80 weight percent. These copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycols and monoethers are well known and many of them are commercially available. Illustrative thereof are the copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycols having average molecular weights of 750, 1,000, 2,200, 2,400, 3,300, 3,800, 4,000, 4,400 or 5,500 and the methyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, decyl and dodecyl monoethers thereof wherein the oxyethylene content therein can be 30, 38, 42, 50, 56, 64, 70 or mole percent.

The hindered phenol stabilizers are present in the lubricant composition at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent, preferably from about 0.2 to about 2 weight percent. These stabilizers are those represented by the structural formula wherein R is (i) an alkyl group of from I to about 6 carbon atoms, preferably 4 to 6 carbon atoms, and most preferably the tertiary butyl group when X is either -COOR' or or (ii) a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, preferably 4 to 6 carbon atoms when X is R is alkyl of from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms; preferably l2 to 18 carbon atoms and n and m are integers of from 2 to 4, preferably 2 or 3. Many of these hindered phenols are known and illustrative thereof one can mention, octadecyl beta-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4- 3 hydroxyphenyl )propionate bis[ 2-( 3 ,5-di-t-butyl-4- hydroxyphenethyl)carbonyloxyethyHsulfide and l ,1 ,3- triphenylolpropane.

It was found that only those hindered phenols defined by the above formula yield lubricant compositions which do not discolor the lubricant or the carpet backing on standing or on heat aging. Thus, for example, other hindered phenols such as 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol, 2,6-di-t-butylphenol, phenyl alpha-naphthylamine 2,2 -methylenebis-( 4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol 2,4-bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-di-t-butylphenoxy)-6-(n-octylthio)-l,3,5-tria.zine and l,3,5-trimethyl-2,4,6-tris(3,5- di-t-butylhydroxybenzyl)phenol, were found unsatisfactory and we were unable to produce thermally stable carpet backing lubricants with these materials.

The lubricant composition contains a coupling agent to dissolve the hindered phenol stabilizer in both the copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol or monoether and the water with which it is diluted. This coupling agent is present in the lubricant composition at a concentration of from about 2 to about 35 weight percent, preferably from about 5 to about 30 weight percent. The suitable coupling agents are those represented by the structural formula R"O(CH CH O),,H wherein R" is alkyl of from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 l to 18 carbon atoms, phenyl or alkylphenyl wherein the alkyl group thereof has from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms, preferably from about 6 to l2 carbon atoms, and p is an integer having the value of from about 3 to about 40, preferably from 7 to 20. These compounds are well known and commercially available; they are the adducts of from about 9 to about 15 moles of ethylene oxide with C to C linear aliphatic alcohols or alkyl phenols such as octylphenol. lllustrative of commercial products are TER- GITOL Nonionic -8-9, or Nonionic NPX, lgepa] CA- 630 or RC-630 and Triton X-lOO.

The lubricating composition also contains from about 0.05 to about 2.5 weight percent, preferably from about 0.1 to about 1 weight percent, of a bulk wetting agent which is a random copolymer of the following structure wherein Me is methyl, x is from about 15 to about 100, preferably from about to 75, d is from 5 to 30, preferably from about 7 to 20, b is from 0 to about 50, preferably from 0 to about 30, and y is from about 2.5 to about 7.5, preferably from about 3.2 to about 5.1. These silicone alkylene oxide copolymer bulk wetting agents are known commercially available materials and require no further description to enable one skilled in the art to fully understand which compounds are intended.

The presence of a corrosion inhibitor is not critical to this invention and it is used solely to prevent corrosion of machine parts. When present it can be present at a concentration up to about 10 weight percent, preferably from about 0.5 to 5 weight percent. Any of the known corrosion inhibitors that are miscible with the lubricant composition and used in the textile art can be used and illustrative thereof one can mention, tricresyl phosphite, triisopropanolamine, tetrapropenylsuccinic anhydride, sodium benzoate, the phosphate inhibitors, and the like.

The lubricant compositions of this invention are produced by mixing the components by conventional mixing procedures. The manner of mixing is not critical. Normally, these compositions are diluted with water before they are applied to the fabric. The concentration thereof in the aqueous mixture can vary from about 5 to 30 weight percent, preferably from about 10 to 20 weight percent. The lubricant composition is applied to the fabric or carpet backing by any conventional means such as padding, dipping, roller coating, spraying or any other suitable procedure generally employed. After it has been applied to the carpet backing at a lubricant loading of from about 2 to 5 weight percent, the carpet is manufactured by conventional tufting or other procedure. The lubricant compositions of this invention were evaluated for their thermal stability and the inertness or prevention of degradation of carpet backing by padding woven polypropylene backing with a 20 weight percent aqueous mixture of the lubricant to obtain a 4 to 5 weight percent lubricant loading on the backing. The backing was then heat set in an oven at 350F. for two minutes and six inch (warp) by 1 inch (fill) strips were cut therefrom for evaluation. The strips were hung in an oven set at 230F. to 258F. with a 10 gram weight attached to the end of each strip. The heat aged samples were removed from the oven at different intervals and their tensile strengths were determined with an lnstron Tensile Tester by the procedure described in ASTM D 2646.

The following examples further serve to illustrate the invention. Parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE 1 A lubricant composition was containing 82.7 parts of the butyl monoether of the random copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol having an average molecular weight of about 4400 and containing 64 mole perccent oxyethylene units, 15 parts by weight of the adduct of 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of a C to C mixture of linear alcohols as the coupling agent, one part of stearyl beta-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate as the stabilizer, one part of tetrapropenylsuccinic anhydride as corrosion inhibitor and 0.3 part of Me SiO(Me,SiO)- MeOSiC l'MOC Hi)m(OCHCH,) OMeI SiMe,

as the bulk wetting agent. An aqueous lubricant composition was prepared containing 20 weight percent of the above lubricant composition and this was padded on to polypropylene carpet backing fabric to obtain a 4 to 5 weight percent loading of the lubricant on the backing. The backing was heat set at 350F. for 2 minutes and then the tensile strength was determined on strips by the procedure previously described.

For comparative purposes the same polypropylene carpet backing was coated with aqueous compositions containing the same uninhibited copoly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene) derivative (Control I), the same inhibited copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) derivative containing 1 weight percent of diphenylol propane (Control II), the the same copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) derivative containing 1 weight percent of 2,6- di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol (Control Ill) and the tensile strength at break was detennined. The same test was also carried out on the uncoated carpet backing (Control IV). The results of this evaluation are set forth below after the carpet backing specimens had been heat aged at 240F. for 116 hours and 138 hours.

6 set forth below after the carpet backing specimens had been heat aged at 240F. for 1 16 hours.

Tensile Strength at Break. lb. 5 Tensile Strength at Break, lb. ll6 hours I33 hours 1 [6 hours Lubricant Composition Lubricant Composition of Example I 78.8 77.5 of Example 2 785 Control I less than 1 Control I less than l Control II less than I Control II less than l Control lll less than 1 10 Control Ill less tha I Control IV 80 8i Control IV 0 As can be seen the lubricant composition containing As can be seen the lubricant composition containing the defined stabilizer of this invention showed no harmis the defined stabilizer of this invention showed no harmful effect on the polypropylene carpet backing. ful effect on the polypropylene carpet backing. Whereas all of the other lubricant compositions, Con- Whereas, all of the other lubricant compositions, Controls II and III, containing conventional stabilizers and trol I and Controls II and III, containing conventional the uninhibited lubricant (Control I) showed excessive stabilizers showed excessive deterioration of the backdeterioration of the backing and, in fact, complete ing and, in fact, complete strength loss within 24 hours strength loss within 24 hours of heat aging. This shows of heat aging. This shows that the lubricant composithat the lubricant composition of Example I can be tion of Example 2 can be used to lubricate the polyproused to lubricate the polypropylene carpet backing pylene carpet backing without fear of causing any degwithout fear of causing any significant degradation or radation or deterioration thereof. deterioration thereof. While Control IV showed no degradation, the non-lubricated carpet backing would 25 EXAMPLE 3 present problems during the carpet manufacturing pro- A lubricant composition was prepared containing cess. The results indicate that the lubricant composi- 82.7 parts of the butyl monoether of the random copotions of this invention do not have a degrading efiect on ly-(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol having an averthe polypropylene carpet backing. 3 age molecular weight of about 4400 and containing 64 mole percent oxyethylene units, 15.0 parts by weight of EXAMPLE 2 the adduct of 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of a A lubricant composition was prepared containing C to C mixture of linear alcohols, one part of l, l ,3- 77.7 parts of the butyl monoether 0 the a om PO- triphenylol propane, one part of tetrapropenylsuccinic y-( y y yp py g y having an averanhydride and 0.3 part of the silicone wetting agent age molecular weight of about 4400 and containing 64 mole percent oxyethylene units, 20 parts by weight of the adduct of 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of a C to C mixture of linear alcohols, one part of bis[2- 3 ,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxy-phenethyl) carbonyloxyethyl] sulfide, one part of tetrapropenylsuccinic anhydride and 0.3 part of An aqueous lubricant composition was prepared containing 20 weight percent of the above lubricant composition and this was padded on to polypropylene carpet backing fabric to obtain a 4 to 5 weight percent loading of the lubricant on the backing. The backing was heat set at 350F. for 2 minutes and then the tensile strength was determined on strips by the procedure previously described.

For comparative purposes the same polypropylene carpet backing was coated with aqueous compositions containing the same uninhibited copoly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene) derivative (Control I), the same inhibited copoly( oxyethylene-oxypropylene) derivative containing 1 weight percent of 2,4,6-tris(3,5-di-t-butylhydroxybenzyl)phenol (Control II), the same copoly- (oxyethylene-oxypropylene) derivative containing 1 weight percent of 2,4-bis( 4-hydroxy-3,5-di-butylphenoxy)-6-(n-octylthio)-1,3,5-triazine (Control III) and the tensile strength at break was determined. The same test was also carried out on the uncoated carpet backing (Control IV). The results of this evaluation are employed in Example 1. An aqueous lubricant composition was prepared containing 20 weight percent of the above lubricant composition and this was padded on to polypropylene carpet backing fabric to obtain a 4 to 5 weight percent loading of the lubricant on the backing. The backing was heat set at 350F. for 2 minutes and then the tensile strength was determined on strips by the procedure previously described.

For comparative purposes the same polypropylene carpet backing was coated with an aqueous composi tion containing the same uninhibited copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) derivative (Control I), and the tensile strength at break was determined. The same test was also carried out on the uncoated carpet backing (Control II). The results of this evaluation are set forth below after the.carpet backing specimens had been heat aged at 250F for 1 l2 hours.

Tensile Strength at Break. lb. l 12 hours Lubricant Composition of Example 3 79 Control I less than I Control I] cu n o c mm tt mcmonn wherein R' is hydrogen or alkyl of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms; q and r are integers such that q comprises from 25 to 75 weight percent of the sum of q plus r, and wherein said glycol or monoether has a number average molecular weight of from 500 to 30,000; (B) from 0.1 to 5 weight percent of a stabilizer of the structure:

wherein R is (i) alkyl of l to 6 carbon atoms when X is COOR' or or (ii) hydrogen or alkyl of l to 6 carbon atoms when X is R R POO-) CH- Q R I! R is alkyl of from 6 to 22 carbon atoms; n and m are integers of from 2 to 4; (C) from 2 to 35 weight percent of a coupling agent of the structure:

wherein R" is alkyl of from 8 to 22 carbon atoms; phenyl or alkylphenyl wherein said alkyl group has from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; and p is an integer of from 3 to 40; (D) from 0.5 to 2.5 weight percent of a bulk wetting agent of the random structure:

8 in which Me is methyl, x is from 15 to I00, d is from 5 to 30, b is from 0 to 50, and y is from 2.5 to 7.5; and (E) from zero to 10 weight percent of a corrosion inhibitor.

2. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein (A) is present at a concentration of from about to about 94 weight percent; (B) is present at a concentration of from 0.2 to 2 weight percent; (C) is present at a concentration of from 5 to 30 weight percent; (D) is present at a concentration of from 0.1 to l weight percent; and (E) is present at a concentration of from 0.5 to 5 weight percent.

3. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (B) is octadecyl beta-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate.

4. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (B) is bis[2-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenethyl) carbonyloxyethyl] sulfide.

5. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (B) is l,l,3-triphenylolpropane.

6. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (A) is a random copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol having a number average molecular weight of from 600 to 20,000.

7. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (D) x is from 20 to 75, d is from 7 to 20, b is from 0 to 30 and y is from 3.2 to 5.1.

8. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bulk wetting agent (D) is:

9. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bulk wetting agent (D) is:

10. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 3 wherein (D) is:

11. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 4 wherein (D) is:

12. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 5 wherein (D) is: 

1. A LUBRICANT COMPOSITION COMPRISING (A) A MAJOR AMOUNT OF A RANDOM OR BLOCK COPOLY(OXYETHYLENE-OXYPROPYLENE) GLYCOL OR MONOETHER THEREOF OF THE STRUCTURE
 2. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein (A) is present at a concentration of from about 60 to about 94 weight percent; (B) is present at a concentration of from 0.2 to 2 weight percent; (C) is present at a concentration of from 5 to 30 weight percent; (D) is present at a concentration of from 0.1 to 1 weight percent; and (E) is present at a concentration of from 0.5 to 5 weight percent.
 3. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (B) is octadecyl beta-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate.
 4. A lubricant coMposition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (B) is bis(2-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenethyl) carbonyloxyethyl) sulfide.
 5. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (B) is 1,1,3-triphenylolpropane.
 6. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (A) is a random copoly(oxyethylene-oxypropylene) glycol having a number average molecular weight of from 600 to 20,000.
 7. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein (D) x is from 20 to 75, d is from 7 to 20, b is from 0 to 30 and y is from 3.2 to 5.1.
 8. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bulk wetting agent (D) is:
 9. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bulk wetting agent (D) is: Me3SiO(Me2SiO)20(MeOSiC3H6(OC2H4)7OMe)3.2SiMe3
 10. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 3 wherein (D) is:
 11. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 4 wherein (D) is:
 12. A lubricant composition as claimed in claim 5 wherein (D) is: 